Spark arrester



W, H. HINSCH SPARK ARRESTER July 4, 1933.

Filed May 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 0 o u 2 m 1 1 J u m. F m; h" I ma #0w W. o

7] 3 r o M Q 1 n a Q, C J \lll. E. 5

w. H. HINSCH 1,916,762

SPARK ARRESTER July 4, 1933.

' Filed May 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. H. HINSCH SPARK ARRESTER July 4,1933.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 8, 1931 M.- l a erl inscfi,

Patented July 4, 1933 v WALTER n. HINsoH, OF CHICAGO,

PATENT OFFICE ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX 'CGMPAN Y, OICHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01E DELAWARE SPARK ARRESTER 'App1ication filed May 8, 1931. .Serial No. 535,828.-

are-caused to take one whirling action in a circular path about the lineof draft and its adjacent effective zone, so that they are bro ken .upinto particlesofreduced dimensions and weight which willenter theeffective zone of draft and pass up and out the stack in a conditionwherein they can start no wayside fires.

Such arresters as previously made had several inherent structuraldeficiencies which the present invention overcomes. I-Ieretofore it wasnecessary to assemble the arrester on a platform in front of and'outside the open front end of the locomotive and then skid theassembled arrester into a proximate position in the smoke box. As suchastructure is quite heavy, it is apparent that many difficulties arose'inpositioning the arrester 30. w .w V. v 7

in the smoke box with respect to the assoc1- ated nozzle and stack,'dueto the small working space .eft in the'smoke box after the arroster hadbeen approximately positioned.

' Again, such arresters are subject to methe locomotives in whichtheyare installed and this materially reduced the active service periodsof such locomotives.

The main object ofthe inventionis to pro- 5- vide a construction whicheliminates all of be easily assembled from its componentparts in itsplace in the smoke box and this at a lower cost and with less labor andlocomochanical wear produced by the abrasive ac the objectionsheretoforeinherent in such spark arresters and which. constructionma'yltive lay up time than heretofore has been possible. The above, mentionedobject of the invention as well as others, together with the manyadvantages thereof will more fullyhppear as I proceed with myspecification.

In the drawings I v Fig. 1 is a-longitudinalverticalsectional viewthrough the smoke box end of a locomotive boiler embodying myimprovedspark arrester with parts thereof shown broken away to more clearlyillustrate the construc- I tion thereof. I i Fig. 2 is a view in endelevation of the smoke box with the usual frontend plate re moved andshows the improved spark arrester in front elevation. I v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view as taken in the line 83 of Fig. 1and shows the improved spark arrester in plan elevation with partsthereof broken away. i V Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view onan enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 and illustrates moreparticularly the manner of attaching the exhaust nozzle to associatedparts of the arrester bottom.

"Fig. 5 is another detail vertical sectional View through a part of theimproved spark arrester taken on the line 5,5 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in side elevation on an enlargedscale, illustrating a peculiar lap joint employed between the varioussections of the tubular body of the arrester. T Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of one of the plates forming a part of the bottom of the arrest-er.

Referring nowin detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings 1 indicates the shell of a locomotive boiler, 2indicates the smoke box shell and 3' indicates the front tube sheet inwhich the front ends of the fire tubes or flues 4; are secured inanysuitable manner. The open front of the smoke box is closed by the usualfront plate and door (not shown). 5 indi-' cates the exhaust pipe and 6indicates the nozarranged axially with the nozzle or tip and 8 indicatesthe sub-base for the stack pipe 9 that is flared at its bottom end. 10indicates as a whole, the improved spark arrester which is of thecentrifugal separator 5 type, and which includes a tubular body 11 ofsubstantially a horse shoelike outline, having an inlet opening 12 atthe front thereof. The body has a closed bottom 13 and a closed top 14:of the same shape but of a 19 smaller areaand the top portion of thebody is tapered inwardly to meet the same as is best shown in 1 and 5.

'In the inlet opening or mouth are upright deflectors 15 and 16respectively with one of 15 said deflectors associated with the centralportion of the inlet end with the other one associated with one side ofsaid opening.

Within the casing and enacting with the innerend of the deflector-.15and the casing wall respectively is a third deflector 17 as shown indotted lines in Fig. 3.

For ease in manufacturing the arrester as well as forpermitting theassembly of the v sarne in the position itoccupies in the smoke 'box, itis made in sections. Thesections in themselves are suitably flanged tonot only provide tight seams between them but also tostiffen them, thuseliminating extraneous ,structural members for thispurpose.

'The body '11 is made up of a plurality of horizontally arcuate orcurvedintermediate sections 18 and two converging and straight or uncurved endsections 1920, all of said sections including inwardly tapering, 3 topportions 18* 19'* and 20? respectively.

One margin of each section 18 and one margin of the section 20 alongwith the associated top portion of each of said sections ,is formed toprovide an offset flange 18 or 19 that overlaps the other margin of theadjacent section, and key bolts 21 pass through these overlappedportions to secure them together in the desired relation. Each boltreceives a wedge shaped key 22 which when driven through the usualopening-in such a bolt, draws and locks said parts to-- gether in a goodsnug engagement. These bolts are all inserted iii-place from the insideof the arrester body and the keys'aredriven thereinto from the outsideof the body so that assembly is made much easier.

1 The bottom 13 is preferably made. in right and left hand parts orhalves 151 13 one of which, is best shown in perspective in Fig. 7. Eachhalf or part has a downwardly turned straight flange 13" alon one sideand an upturned peripheral flange 13. The flange 13 stops short of asemi-circular reboth flanges are provided openings 24.

fThe top 14: which is made as an integral piece, has a downwardlyinclined flange let,

theangularity, of which conformsto the in-' clined top portions of thevariousbody sec- 6 t1ons and centrally therein is an opening 25.

.cess 13 about which are openings 23 and in It is pointed out that theoffset flanges or marginal portions of the various sections of thetubular body, stop short of the ends thereof, a distance approximatingthe height or width of the flange 13 on the bottom and the flange 1 1 onthe top; The flange 14 of the top is provided with openings 26 which areadapted toregister with like openings in thetop ends of the inclined topportions of the various sections.

In assembling the various parts, the two halves 713 providing the bottomare first brought together with those portions thereof about therecesses 13 engaging upon a flange 5 on the top end of the nozzle 5.Thereafter the tip 6 is applied and a marginal flange ('3 thereonoverlaps the said parts of said halves and bolts 27 are then passedthrough said flanges and through the openings 23 in said halves 13 soasto secure said parts together as best shown in Fig. 4.

13, about the flange 13 thereof. As the offset flanges 18"19 of thevarious sections 18 and 20 terminate short of'the bottom edges of saidsections, said sections may be engaged flush with the inside of theflange 13 and this will bring the bottom edge of the offset flange in aposition wherein it just clears the flange 13 as best shown in Fig. 6.Thereafter key bolts 21 are inserted through the openings in the bottommargins'of said body sections and through the openings 24 in the flanges13 from the inside of the body and associated wedge keys 22 are thenapplied to the bolts; to secure the bottom end of the body sectionsto'thebottom. By means of the key bolts and wedges the associated partsare drawn into a snug tight engagement whereby the joints or seamsareindeed quite tight.

Either after or before, the assembly has thus far progressed, afoot orsupport 29 may be positioned between the smoke box shell and the inletend of thebottom to support said end from the shell. Thereafterrelatively long suspending or hanger bolts 30 carried by brackets 31 onthe inside of the smoke box shell in line with the brackets 28 on thebot-- tom 13 havetheir threaded ends extended through the brackets 28and then nuts 32 are appliedv to said ends of said bolts. Thus thebottommay be leveled and secured held in position.

After the tubular body has thus far been.

assembledthe top 14: is applied with its flange 14;, engaging the outer.face of the top margins of all tapered top parts of the body sec-vtions. Before so applying the top, the petticoat 9 is placed in the bodyfrom the open top, as is the stack sub-base 8 and after the end thereof,all-as best shown in Fig. v1. I

A short distance rearward of me inletopening 12 there is applied tothethus far assembled structure, a flange 34, which follows up the uprightside and inclined wall part of the body and then across the top. Thisflange is disposed in the plane of an angle bar' 35 on the inside of thesmoke box shell and a baffle plate 36 is secured thereto by meansofother key bolts 21 and wedges 22. This baffle terminates at the bottomin the plane of the top edges of the upright flanges 13 of the bottom13.

On the top surfaceof the bottom 13 axially within the body isprovided'an upstanding ring 37 that is preferably of a= diameter greaterthan'that of the flared bottom end of the petticoat pipe 9. It isconvenient in the assembly of the various parts to weld this ring inplace before assembling the various sections of the body upon thebottom.

In the operation of the arrester, a vacuous condition develops in thearrester-casing due tonozzle action and this condition is feltthroughout the smoke box and in the fire tubes that open thereinto,which induces a draft in said tubes. As the products of combustion leavethe tubes to, enterthe smoke box, they pass downwardly and forwardl andunder the baffle 36' to'enter the spar arrester casing through the inlet12 thereof. As they pass into said opening the members l5 and 16 deflectthe products of combustion laterally and tangentially in a directionsubstantially parallel with the ca'sing'section 19 to. follow about theinterior of the casing whereby a whirling action is given to saidproducts of combustion. I

The heavier particles thereof whirl around the inside of the casing andnot only break up, into smaller'particles but cool off." The actionresulting isa centrifugal one so that the heavierparticles tend tofollow about I the inside of the casing'out of the zone or influence ofthe action of the nozzle jet, the

lighter particles being crowded into said zone to pass out the stack ina cool condition and incapable of starting wayside fires.

In the movement of the heavler particles in the separator, there will beto some extent a separation between them as the centrifugal Y action isdissipated and some of such heavier particles will then-fall tothebottom oft-the casing outside the ring 37, for future removal. j

' Again, such particles as rise upward out of theefi'ective action zoneof the draft, will the casing, toward the petticoat pipe, to descendtherealong and when they engage the flared end of said petticoat pipe,some of said particles are drawn intosaid zone to pass up the stackwhile others are caused to intermingle with those swirhng around in thecasing to be again acted upon, as before.

; It is apparent that'this centrifugal action of the products ofcombustion produces an abrasive or real mechanical wear onthe'uprightwalls of the casing to such an extent that holes may appeartherein. Under such conditions, it is not necessary to remove the entirearrester to make repairs because by removing the proper key bolts, .theworn section orsections can beremoved from-its place in the body and anew one substituted therefor. This can be done from within the smokebox. v

By the construction described, there is a great saving not only as tomaterial cost but also asto labor cost as the sections are all formed topattern, ready for fitting in place in their orderinthe arrester.

Vhile indescribing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement and construction of the various partsthereof, the same is tobe considered merely as illustrative only, so that I do not wish to belimited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claimas my,invention:

l. In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell andassociatedaligned smoke stack and exhaust nozzle, an upright tubular cas ing insaid shell and enclosing portions of engage the inwardly-tapering topportion of i said stack and nozzle, said casing having con- I vergingportions at the front which define an inlet opening for the casing, abattle closing off the space between said shell and easing excepting thebottom portion thereof and arranged to the rear of said inlet opening,and upright deflectors in saidinlet opening arranged to deflect theproducts of combustion entering said opening into thecasingin adirectionsubstantially parallel. with one of said converging portions ofsaid casing, said casing including sections having overlapped marginalportions detachably connected together.

2. In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell and associatedaligned smoke stack and exhaust nozzle, an upright tubular casing insaid shell and enclosing portions of said stack and nozzle, said casinghaving converg ng portlons at the front which define an inlet openingfor thecasing, a baffle closing off the space between said shell andcasing excepting the bottom portionthereof and arranged to the rear. of

M. Ito

said inlet opening, and upright deflectors in said inlet openingarranged to deflect the products of combustion entering said openinginto the casing in a direction substantially parallel with one of saidconvergingv portions of said casing, said casingincluding uprightsections, each having a marginal portion overlapping a marginal portionof an adjacent upright section and detachably connected thereto.

3. In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell and associatedaligned smoke stack and exhaust nozzle, an upright tubular casing insaid shell and enclosing portions of said stack and nozzle, said casinghaving converging portions at the front which define an inlet openingfor the casing, a baflle closing off the space between said shell andcasing excepting the bottom portion thereof and arranged to the rear ofsaid inlet opening, and upright deflectors in said inlet openingarranged to deflect the products of combustion entering said openinginto the casing in a direction substantially parallel with one of saidconverging portions ofsaid casing, said casing including a bottomcomprising a plurality of flanged parts detachably connected togetherand a plurality of upright sections, each having a portionengaged withand detachably connected to certain of the flanges of said bottom andeach of said upright sections also having an upright marginal portionoverlapping and detachably secured to a marginal portion of an adjacentupright section.

4. In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell and associatedaligned smoke stack and exhaust nozzle, an upright tubular'casing insaid shell and enclosing portions of the stack and the nozzle, saidcasing including a flanged top, a flanged bottom, upright arcuatesections and two straight upright end sections, the latter of whichconverge toward each other to provide an inlet at the front of thecasing, said top, bottom and upright casing sections all beingdetachably connected together, deflectors in said inlet operating todeflect the incoming products of combustion in a direction substantiallyparallel with one of said converging sections anda bafl'le between saidshell and casing and which bafl'le terminates substantially in the planeof the said flanged bottom.

5. In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell and associated stackand nozzle, a casing in said shell including an upright tubular bodyhaving an inlet opening in one side, a top for said body and throughwhich a part of said stack extends, a bottom for said body through whicha part of said nozzle extends, said body comprising a plurality ofsections, each offset along one margin to overlap the margin of anadjacent section, and means for securing the overlapped mare gins of thesections together in the desired relation.

6. In combinationwith a locomotive smoke box shell and associated stackand nozzle, a

casing including an upright tubular body having an inlet opening in oneside, a top member for said body and through which a part of said stackextends, a bottom member for said body, through which said nozzleextends, said bottom member having a marginal flange, said bodycomprising a plurality of sections each arranged with one of its ends inengagement with and secured to the inside of the flange of said bottommember, and each section having. a margin offset to'overlap the marginof an adjacent section and which oflset margin terminates in the planeof the edge of sald flange, means for securing said overlapped marginsof said'sect-ions together andmeans for securing the other end of saidsections to said top member.

7 In combination with a locomotive smoke box shell and associated stackand nozzle, a casing including an upright tubular body 8. In combinationwith a locomotive smoke box shell and associated stack and nozzle, a

casing in said shellincluding an upright tubular body having an inletopening in one side and comprising a plurality of sections havingupright meeting edges, a top member for said body through which a partof the stack extends, a bottom member for said body and through which apart of said nozzleextends, one of said members comprising a pluralityof parts having flanges to receive and be secured to the associated endsof said sections and which parts have meeting edge flanges and means forsecuring themeeting edge flanges of said one of said members together. v

9. In combinationwith a locomotive smoke box shell and associated stackand nozzle, a casing in said shell including an upright tubular bodyhaving an inlet opening in one,

side and comprising a plurality of sections having upright meetingedges,.a top-member.

for said body through which apart of said stack extends, said top memberhaving a flange engaged with and secured to the top ends ofsaidsectio-ns, and a bottom member forsaid body throughvwhich a'part o'fsaid nozzle extends, said bottom member comprisgaged with saidperipheral flangesand which y sections have offset overlapplng marginalflanges that terminate at the top edge of the upturned peripheral flangeof the parts of said bottom, means for detachably securing said ends ofsaid sections to said peripheral flange of said parts of said bottom andmeans for detachably securing said meeting edgefla-nges of said partstogether.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 5th day of May,1931.

WALTER H. Hmson.

